The Wire with Castor

For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party's Simon Court, producer Evie spoke to Simon about mining and comments he made on X, formally Twitter, about the University of Canterbury pro-Palestine encampment.

She also spoke with Spokesperson for Students for Justice in Palestine Canterbury, Matt, about the University of Canterbury encampment.

For our weekly catchup with, Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp, News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to Takutai about Māori wards and Kāinga Ora.

They spoke to Senior Lecturer in Public Health at the University of Canterbury, Matthew Hobbs, about a study he led that demonstrates that most vape retailers are in the country’s most deprived areas.

They also spoke to Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Auckland, Jude MacArthur, about the concern with charter schools and assisting students who have a disability and/or are neurodivergent.

Producer Ezra spoke to Senior Lecturer of Education at the University of Auckland, Dr Analosa Veukiso-Ulugia about the soaring Pokie machine profits in South Auckland.

And he also spoke to Curator of I-M.S Arts, Iokapeta Magele-Suamasi, about her “South-Versed” exhibition and its exploration of diaspora for Tagata Pasifika and Tagata Ahia in Aotearoa.

$153m has been allocated in the 2024 budget to establish Charter Schools in Aotearoa by the coalition government, after being previously shut down by the last Labour Government in 2018, to establish 50 new charter schools.

This system of education has come under controversy by many, over concerns these schools can allocate funding however they see fit with almost total discretion, teach any curriculum they want to, and are not required to hire teachers with adequate teaching certificates, unlike schools in the public sector.

News and Editorial Director, Joel, spoke to Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Auckland, Jude MacArthur, about the concern with Charter Schools specifically assisting students who have a disability and/or are neurodivergent.

A new study of European Beech forests has discovered the impact of the summer solstice as a “celestial cue” on the species’ mast seeding production. This discovery may assist in efforts to protect biodiversity in Aotearoa, due to its relevance to our species of native southern beech, which comprises nearly half of our remaining native forest. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Emeritus Professor and co-author of this research, Dave Kelly, on how this discovery can support conservation work here in Aotearoa.

Greenpeace has announced an upcoming “March for Nature” in response to the current Government’s environmental policies, which they have called a “war on nature.”

Their website says this protest is targeting the Fast Track Consent Bill which “undermines democracy and Te Tiriti.”

Wire Host Caeden spoke to Greenpeace spokesperson Sinead Deighton-O'Flynn about the upcoming march.

They started by asking what the demands of the march were.